800 Years Later, Catholics Still Walk in the Footsteps of St. Francis
At a solemn Transitus liturgy in Denver, hundreds marked the anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death by retracing his final journey — and reflecting on his enduring call to simply follow Jesus.
It was a cool, somber night in Denver on Saturday, as hundreds gathered to honor the life and legacy of St. Francis of Assisi on the anniversary of his passing — 800 years to the day.
Joining the Capuchin Franciscans at Annunciation Parish in Denver for the Transitus, a Franciscan prayer service commemorating St. Francis' passage into eternal life, the faithful had the opportunity to reflect not only on the saint's death but also on his life spent in service to Christ and the Gospel. They even followed him in a silent, nighttime funeral procession through the streets of Denver.
Literally walking in the footsteps of St. Francis, participants were struck by the powerful reminder of the great saint's example of following Christ.
"For me, personally, St. Francis is like an older brother and a father. In Jesus Christ, we're all sons and daughters of the Father, and I feel like St. Francis lived out that brotherhood with Jesus in such a radical and unique way," said Deacon Gregory Armstrong, OFM Cap. "He's a saint who is so powerful and radical in his own life because he was so conformed to Jesus."
(Photos by Christina Antus/Denver Catholic)
For many attendees, following St. Francis helps them follow Christ.
“For me, St. Francis embodies Jesus' words when he said, ‘Come follow me,’" Rachel Gerle, an Annunciation parishioner and a candidate for the Secular Franciscan Order, told the Denver Catholic. "I feel I am following that sentiment through the support of St. Francis.”
"St. Francis is not a saint from the past. His way of life is very relevant today. It represents for me a way of living my faith: with simplicity, humility and fully trusting in God," said Alfonso Lara. "He inspires me not only to preach the Gospel but also to allow the Gospel to transform the way I live."
That dynamic of becoming more like Christ by following the example of the great St. Francis carried throughout the rest of the night's prayer. After the procession, the faithful gathered back in the church for a blessing with a relic of St. Francis of Assisi, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, the official prayer of the Church.
"The desire of the friars on this night is that all who love Francis, we, too, will be just like him," Father David Songy, OFM Cap., the provincial minister of the Capuchin Franciscans' Province of St. Conrad, explained. "That Christ will come as fully as Christ entered into the life of Francis."
Reflecting on St. Francis' holy death and how he lovingly exhorted and served his brothers even from his deathbed, Father Songy invited those gathered to a similar courage and compassion.
“This is the gift that we are being invited to receive tonight: We get to understand that in the death of Francis, in which he was able to enter into the life of God, he was not afraid," he said. "We can have the same courage, the same strength.”
At the core of the saint's life and death is a simple call to live the Gospel, Deacon Armstrong explained.
"Francis is someone who sought to follow Jesus simply," he said. "I think oftentimes we look for some radical change or some program or something that will fix all the problems. But Francis had no intention of starting a movement or changing the world. Francis simply wanted to do what Jesus was asking of him and to live the Gospel, and that inspired other people."
That call to live the Gospel simply often involves going to the margins, just as St. Francis did, Lara added.
"St. Francis reminds me to serve with love and not to forget those who are often overlooked: the poor, the sick, particularly the immigrant," he said. "This is something that deeply connects with my understanding of evangelization and accompaniment. St. Francis reminds me that my ministry is not about what I can accomplish but ultimately, about whom I serve and whether my service and testimony lead others to Christ, Our Lord."
For Gerle, celebrating St. Francis' death 800 years later with his Franciscan brothers and spiritual sons was a moving experience.
“Celebrating the 800th anniversary of St. Francis' death was a beautiful, reverent experience," she told the Denver Catholic. “Knowing that all these years later, St. Francis' Rule is observed and honored by many is a beautiful miracle from God.”
(Photos by Christina Antus/Denver Catholic)
The parish continued its celebrations after the Transitus with food and fellowship and gathered anew on Sunday morning for Mass, Blessings of Animals and more celebrations throughout St. Francis' feast day.
As the Church celebrates the great saint, she not only remembers his witness but also aims to learn from it in today's apostolic age.
“It's looking backward and remembering not only what happened 800 years ago to Francis, but also looking within in our modern times to the grace that's being operative to allow God to renew it in us today. God gave the Church and gave St. Francis tremendous graces, but God has not done working," said Father Chris Gama, OFM Cap., Annunciation's pastor. “He's an echo in our modern world to create a brotherhood instead of an enemy, to choose peace instead of division, to live with less and to love the poor, and to put Christ back at the center of our lives.”
